Where to go after Amalfi? Have car.

Posted by cflash18 on 08/25/24 08:46 PM

Howdy all,

The beautiful wife and I will be travelling Italy for the first three weeks of September. We are doing the usual in Rome then a few days then amalfi, staying in Maiori. We have 4-5 days before we head up to Tuscany / Florence then Venice.

We were thinking about heading down south a bit more or over to Matera. After looking at videos online Matera looks ok, we come from Persian and Canadian and have well traveled backgrounds.

With these days it doesn’t seem to be enough time to visit Sicily would you all recommend? We have a car so we can explore on some of the interior or down the coast?

Ps. If anyone has any recommendations for castle old hotels / accommodation in the Tuscany area would be most welcomed.

Thank you all.

Posted by Roberto da Firenze ⚜

San Francisco Bay Area (USA)

08/25/24 08:53 PM

16156 posts

If you have a car and enough days at your disposal it would be the perfect opportunity to visit the region of Puglia (the heel of the Italian boot). A day visiting Matera can be part of that trip since Matera is just before the border with Puglia. Puglia is best visited with a car. You can search for specific places to go in Puglia online or even in this forum, if you decide to go there.

Be aware that a car is totally useless and a hassle to have while in Florence and of course in Venice (unless it’s an amphibious vehicle that can float). In the city center of Florence cars cannot enter unless you are a resident with permit. So after your tour of the Tuscan countryside, as soon as you arrive in Florence, return your car. You can go to Venice from Florence in two hours by high speed train and there is a train every hour or even more frequently. (The drive through the boring Po Valley would take you 3.5 hours).

Posted by cflash18 OP

08/25/24 09:50 PM

3 posts

Thank you for the suggestion of Puglia region I will look into it. Yes it is the amphibious James Bond car / sub lol. We are going as you have suggested dropping the car off as soon as we are going to Florence and taking the train to Venice.

Posted by ChristineH

Gettysburg PA

08/25/24 11:15 PM

7256 posts

Visit Paestum and see the magnificent Greek temples

Posted by Becky

seattle

08/25/24 11:20 PM

2145 posts

In Maiori we stayed at Antica Rheginna Luxury Rooms. It was off the beaten path,but an easy walk into town.
Matera is a special place to see and visit.
In Chianti Tuscany, love the Ristoranti di Lamole in the tiny village of Lamole.
In Florence, we loved staying at the San Pier Novello in Otrano B&B. . It is run by a wonderful family and contains many Renaissance frescos (they have a 3 night minimum.) We walked there from the train station.

Posted by ekscrunchy

new york

08/26/24 03:32 AM

69 posts

From your base, stop a day in Cetara, best eating on Amalfi Coast.
Then drive south to the Cilento, two nights in Pisciotta.
Then to Maratea....two nights at Villa Cheta.
Then--long drive to Matera with possible stop in Tursi...

You need minimum 2 nights in Matera.....if you have the time, this si what I would do, and have done, several times.

If you need to cut the time down, skip Maratea and go from Pisciotta to Matera.

Need to cut more time? Then skip Pisciotta and head right for Matera.

You do not have time for Puglia if you need to head to Tuscany....

OR skip all above and just go to the Cilento region and then up the autostrada to Tuscany.
Paestum area is good en route if you are interested In the temples and the cheese makers in and around Battipaglia....

I know these areas pretty well...will return for our 6th trip to Puglla in May but you cannot do justice to Puglia between Amalfi and Tuscany..no way!!!!!